


Immortal Winter

by darylas



Category: Frozen (2013), Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Arendelle, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-12
Updated: 2017-10-30
Packaged: 2018-07-14 16:23:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,233
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7180010
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darylas/pseuds/darylas
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"I know that the Man in the Moon brought me back for the children of the world. But I'm starting to think that he also did it so I could be with you."</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The first part of this story will take place during the movie Frozen. The rest will not. Enjoy!

"Elsa!"

"Anna, NO!"

Elsa ran as fast as she could to her sister, but it seemed as if the ice beneath her feet had a mind of its own and would not let her reach Anna.

"There she is! There's that wicked ice villain!" screamed a villager wielding a sword.

"No, you don't understand! I didn't mean to do it!" Elsa pleaded in vain.

As soon as she was about to reach her sister, she lost control and shards of ice flew from her fingertips, straight toward Anna.

"NO!"

Elsa bolted upright in her bed, but instead of sweating, she was freezing.

 _'Why do I keep having the same nightmare over and over?_ ', she thought. She relaxed in her soft sheets and looked around her bedroom. She saw just the tiniest bit of sunlight shining through the glass window. She saw the small portrait of her parents on her side table. She saw her coronation dress...

' _No, no, no, it can't be today! I'm not ready!_ '

She heard knocks on the door followed by the voice of Kai, the head butler who had served the royal family since she was a little girl.

"My lady, are you awake?" he asked through the door.

"Yes, I'm awake," she said with regret.

"Very good. You have a very big day today, my lady. And I heard that the chefs are making your favorite for the ball tonight!"

"Chocolate fondue?" She started feeling a little better at the thought of that sweet, wonderful flavor melting in her mouth.

"The one and only. Now please get ready so we can get this show on the road!"

"Thank you, Kai." She heard him walk away.

Elsa got out of bed and quickly replaced her blue lace nightgown with her coronation dress and magenta cape. She put her hair in a lovely bun with ease. She had a lot of practice doing her hair due to the fact that she was always in her room. When she saw her reflection in the mirror, her heart ached, for she looked so much like her mother. For the finishing touch, she carefully put on her gloves.

She walked out of the bedroom and walked to the library. This was her favorite room in the castle. She could read books for hours and hours and be absorbed into the magical worlds and far away places that she read about. She heard singing downstairs and smiled. She knew that Anna had been looking forward to this day for years. The day when they opened the gates to the castle. It meant that Anna could finally talk and have fun with people of Arendelle and many other kingdoms. But for Elsa, it meant that there would be loads of people all looking at her. At their new queen. And that was not a good thing.

She took a deep breath and gazed out the window at the growing crowd of people. People who didn't know her secret. People who could cause that secret to be revealed.

Elsa walked toward the large portrait of her father at his own coronation. She wondered how he could look so calm, so collected.

' _Okay, I can do this. I just need to have no emotion. Conceal, don't feel. Conceal, don't feel._ '

She picked up a small round box and a candlestick, and held them ever so gently. Ice came from her hands and crystallized over the objects. Frustrated, she slammed them back on the table. She had practiced this so many times, and sometimes she came so close to keeping it together, but it always ended in the same results.

She couldn't wait any longer. She just wanted to get it over with. Elsa opened the doors to the library and saw many servants waiting for her.

"Tell the guards to open up the gates."

* * *

 

While Elsa was feeling anything but joy, the people of Arendelle were overflowing with it, ecstatic at the thought of a new queen. While the bakers were busy creating gourmet masterpieces for the ball, and the florists were adding the final touches to their beautiful arrangements of flowers, three young boys played by the fjord. Out of nowhere, one of them was hit in the back of the head with a snowball.

"Hey!"

Soon after, a cold wind caused a man's hat to be flown far from sight.

"Oh my goodness!"

All while the person that caused these pranks just laughed and laughed with a mischievous grin on his face.

' _Man, these people act like they've never had a moment of fun in their life! Guess I'd better be careful, though. If North found out that I was doing this in the middle of summer, he wouldn't be so jolly_.'

Jack took a moment to take in the sight around him. There were banners everywhere, and people were dressed formally, so there must be some sort of celebration. If only there was a way for him to find out what was going on.

"Why do I have to wear this?"

"Because the queen has come of age. It's coronation day!"

"That's not my fault!"

 _'Hmm, that'll work. A coronation, huh? I'd better check this out. If North asks, I'll just tell him I was doing my guardian-ly duty._ ' Jack practiced his excuse on the way to the castle. "I had to see this coronation, North. I had to make sure that this so-called queen isn't a threat to the children of the world. You're welcome."

Jack flew up, unseen except by a small girl who pointed at him only to be ignored by her parents. He flew to the castle gates, which were...closed?

"Not very friendly, if you ask me," he said aloud.

All of the sudden, they opened and out of them came a girl of about 18. She looked really happy to be out of that place.

' _Is she the queen-to-be?_ ', he wondered. No, the people around me are calling her Princess Anna. ' _So the future queen must be her sister. Well, this one seems really friendly. Maybe I was wrong about them._ '

Jack flew through the gates and followed the crowd to what looked like a chapel.

 _'I guess this is it. In all my life, I don't think I've ever been to a queen's coronation. This should be interesting._ '

Music started to play and the doors opened to reveal the girl who was to be crowned Queen of Arendelle.


	2. Chapter 2

People. So many people. All with their eyes fixed on her. Elsa looked up and saw the choir singing, but she didn't hear their voices. All she heard was a nervous ringing in her ears. She took the agonizing steps up to the front. Anna was there. Strangely, instead of making Elsa feel better, her little sister's presence gave her an even bigger sense of fear.

Next thing she knew, she was bowing her head to receive the crown being placed atop her head. When she lifted her head, she came face to face with the objects on the pillow in front of her.

' _Let's just get this over with_ ,' she thought. She reached for the scepter and the orb, only to be stopped by the bishop.

"Your majesty," he whispered, "the gloves."

Just as she feared. She froze for a moment, then shakily, she took off her gloves. She picked up the objects, and faced the audience. They stood and smiled. She panicked.

The scepter and orb started to freeze. She quickly turned around, set down the objects, and put her gloves back on. She once again faced the audience.

And that's when she saw him.

He was tall, lean, and extremely handsome. He had messy white hair, and looked about her age. He wore very strange clothing, especially for a coronation, and carried a large staff, but it wasn't his clothes she was looking at.

It was his face.

He had a pale complexion, thin lips, and a muscular jaw. But what she was most intrigued by was his eyes.

They were an unnatural blue, and very piercing. There was so much experience in those eyes. They were the eyes of someone who had seen so much, too much. And she was gazing right into them.

She quickly looked away and walked out of the chapel like she had practiced so many times, hoping he hadn't noticed.

* * *

He noticed.

She had been looking right at him.

At first, Jack thought that she was looking at the guy behind him, some fancy-schmancy prince from the Northern, no, Southern Isles. But no. She was staring right into his eyes. No, it was more than that. It felt like she had been gazing past his eyes and into his very soul.

She could see him. She believed in him. Which was weird, cause most people her age stop believing in the Guardians.

But while she had been staring at him, he had been staring right back at her. How could he not? She was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen in his entire life. What was her name? Oh yeah.

Elsa. Queen Elsa of Arendelle.

' _I have to see her_ ,' Jack thought. Wait, what was he thinking? She's the queen. Not exactly just some little kid.

But, he noticed something during the ceremony. She looked scared. Sure, he could understand someone being nervous about becoming ruler, but her face- it displayed pure terror.

' _I have to see her_ ,' he thought again. Jack looked around. The chapel was nearly empty now. He went outside into the light. Everyone seemed to be going into the castle.

' _There must be some kind of celebration. I should get going. But what would a party be without a little fun?_ '

He started to enter the castle, flying over the growing crowd. Wait.

"I can't wear this! This is the Queen we're talking about! I need some more 'formal' attire."

As soon as he snuck some appropriate clothing from a shop, which he swore to himself that he would bring back, he entered the castle, in search of the new queen.

* * *

Elsa stood by her new throne and watched the people dance. The orchestra played one of her favorite lively tunes, but she didn't bother dancing. She had told the Duke of Weasleton that she didn't dance, which was a complete and utter lie. What else would she be doing for 21 years alone in her bedroom? She had gotten to be pretty good at it.

She stared into the crowd, the feeling of guilt overwhelming her. Just minutes before, she had snapped at Anna and rejected her. She hated herself for it. Anna must think that she has the world's worst sister. Who was she kidding, Anna does have the world's worst sister!

Anna had wandered off somewhere. Elsa was sure that she saw her dancing with a young man. That was just like Anna; she delighted anyone who met her, unlike Elsa, who felt like no one liked her.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she saw a head of white, messy hair weaving though the dancers. The world seemed to go in slow motion as he made his way to her. Finally, after what seemed like ages, he appeared before her.

He was no longer wearing the blue hoodie and brown pants, but was wearing a formal Arendelle suit. He still wore the same white smile, still had the same mischievous eyes.

She didn't know what is was, but something about him made all of her fears, all of her worries, just disappear. She felt safe when she was around him. She had never even spoken to him.

"Hello, Your Highness. Congratulations on becoming, well, Queen."

"Thank you. That's very kind. May I ask your name?" she spoke as calmly as she could.

"It's...Jackson. Jackson Overland. May I have the pleasure in asking you to dance, Queen Elsa?"

"I...I really don't dance."

"Are you sure?" He raised his eyebrows at her and she felt the corners of her mouth rise slightly.

"Well, maybe just one dance."

* * *

She had to be dreaming. There was no way that this moment could be real. It was just too perfect.

Jackson held her tightly as they danced to the music. He had one hand firmly behind her back, the other gently holding her gloved hand. He obviously had experience with ballroom dancing.

She mentally scolded herself, for she could not seem to stop staring at him. What was so special about him? He was just some traveler. Just some handsome, friendly, charming traveler. ' _C'mon, get it together!_ ' she thought to herself. ' _He probably does this to every girl he meets. Why would he pay any special attention to me? Surely he isn't trying to use his charms and humor to get my wealth. Is he?_ '

What she was really wondering was why he had insisted on dancing outside on the balcony. It was quite odd, the people looked at her as if she were with a ghost, as if she were the only one they saw go out onto the balcony. But strangely, being alone with him didn't make her feel uncomfortable, but rather the opposite.

She had been so busy with her thoughts that she didn't notice that he was staring right into her eyes. She wondered if he could read minds.

"So, Jackson Overland, if you don't really have a kingdom to call your own, why did you come to my coronation? I'm flattered, but I don't believe we have ever met."

"Well, your coronation is kinda the talk of the town, your highness. I heard about it and decided to come and see the new Queen of Arendelle for myself. And I must say, I'm very glad that I came."

"You know, you still haven't told me what your favorite food is, Queen Elsa," said Jackson.

"What? My favorite food?"

"Sure. Here, I'll go first. Mine is-"

"Chocolate?" said Elsa.

"How did you know that?"

"I saw you at the food table getting thirds and fourths of it," Elsa giggled.

"Oh yeah? Well, I saw your longing look at that very same chocolate."

"Alright, yes. Mine is chocolate too. You are quite forward for a stranger, especially toward a queen," said Elsa with a raised eyebrow.

"I like to think of it as being more...personal," said Jack. "Now that we know a little something about each other, we're no longer strangers." Then he gave a smirk that could make ice melt.

"No," said Elsa with a smile. "I guess not."


	3. Chapter 3

Jack had taken her outside, where they could dance alone. He didn't want the other attendees of the ball to see their newly-crowned ruler dancing by herself and talking to no one. They would think her crazy. The two of them talked while they danced. He would make her laugh, a melodious sound that was covered by her gloved hand. But as much fun as "Jackson" and Elsa were having, the night took a terrible turn.

"So, Queen Elsa, I was wondering if you'd like to-"

"Elsa!" a familiar voice called out.

Elsa stopped dancing as soon as she heard Anna call her name. She saw the disappointed look on Jackson's face. She really wanted to know what he was going to ask her. He let go of her hands. For some reason, she longed for him to take them back.

"I...had better leave. It looks like your sister really needs to talk to you," said Jack. "It was a pleasure to get to dance with you, Your Highness."

"Oh. The pleasure is all mine, Mr. Overland," said Elsa, dipping down into a curtsy.

Jack bowed to her one last time. He then decided to take her delicate hands and place his cold lips to them. He cringed on the inside. ' _Too soon_ ,' he thought. But when he looked up and saw her reaction, she was smiling.

When her sister came up with that Southern Isles guy, Jack smiled and walked away. He didn't look back. He couldn't. He can't get attached, for they would both just end up getting hurt. But still, she was the only person besides the Guardians and the children that could see him, that he could talk to.

Jack walked out the door, out of the palace, past the gates. No one saw him. He changed back into his hoodie, returned the fancy clothes to where he found them, and retrieved his staff from where he had hidden it.

He couldn't get her out of his mind. Her big, crystal blue eyes. Her warm and genuine smile. Her gentle, sweet voice. Why couldn't he stop thinking about her? Was he starting to develop feelings for her? He barely knew her, yet when she smiled it gave him a feeling that he never remembered having. She was a queen for crying out loud! She was amazing. He was nothing.

Suddenly, he heard a loud noise coming from the front doors of the castle. People were shouting. And was it just him, or did the temperature just rapidly drop? That's when he saw her. Elsa was running toward the fjord, a look a pure terror on her face. Where was she going? He flew up into the air to get a better view.

She was...she was running on the water! Her feet were creating an ice path beneath her! How is that possible? Could there be someone else like him? She ran into the forest until Jack could no longer see her. When he looked back at the fjord, ice began to cover the water, and it was snowing, in the middle of July!

' _I have to follow her_ ,' Jack thought. So he raced with all of his might to find the Queen of Arendelle.

* * *

Jack scanned the area while he flew, but still no Elsa. 'Uh, that is, Queen Elsa, I guess. I don't think I have the right to call her just "Elsa" yet.'

He kept looking, but the storm had covered up all of her tracks. There were miles and miles of forests, covered in a thick layer of snow. He still couldn't believe that she did all of this. This was huge. The entire kingdom was covered in snow for crying out loud!

Why was he even doing this? He had only just met her that night, they had only exchanged a few words while dancing. This was not his problem. It was Arendelle's. It could take forever to find her. As a Guardian, he was extremely busy. Well, maybe not extremely.

Yet, as he kept thinking about why he shouldn't, he kept trying to find her. He couldn't help it. It was like she had put a spell on him. He wanted to go after her, he wanted to find her and show her that she wasn't the only one with the kind of powers that she possesses.

But there were two things that were really bothering Jack about this.

She believed in him. She could see and hear him. But she didn't seem to know that he was Jack Frost. It was hard to believe that someone her age believed in him, without Jack having to prove his existence.

Also, given the way they reacted, Jack was pretty sure the people of Arendelle did not know about the Queen's powers. Had she kept her gift secret for twenty years?

Jack's thoughts were interrupted by an incredible sight. There, right in front of him, was a tall, isolated mountain. But it wasn't the mountain that took his breath away. It was the glistening structure on top of the mountain.

It was a castle, and it was made completely out of ice.

* * *

Elsa heard someone enter her newly created home. She gasped. "No, no, no, no, no!" They had found her. They had come to take her back and she would be executed for witchcraft. Just as she was about to try and go out the large window, she heard a familiar voice.

"Queen Elsa! It's me, Jack- uh, son! Jackson! Look, I don't know what happened back there, but I promise I won't hurt you. Please just come talk to me."

It was the stranger she had danced with. Had he followed her? She had only just met him an hour ago, but she knew in her heart that she trusted him. Elsa hesitated, then asked, "Are you alone?" Her voice was steady, but her heart was beating with increasing speed.

"Yes! There's no one else with me, I promise."

Elsa took a deep breath before slowly walking down the steps toward the white-haired boy. His eyes widened and his jaw dropped at her drastic change in appearance. "Something the matter, Mr. Overland?"

He quickly shut his mouth and cleared his throat. "Uh, no, nothing's the matter, Your Highness. You just look, uh, different? Not a bad different, uh...sorry, I'm kinda at a loss for words," he stammered out while he made several motions with his hands.

Elsa stifled a laugh. "Well, I got tired of the tight bun and the heavy dress. I made this dress myself," she said with an air of confidence, an entirely new feeling to her.

Without thinking, Jack looked at her and said, "You're beautiful." He mentally scolded himself for being so bold. She was the queen, after all.

Elsa blushed. "Thank you," she said softly.

Jack quickly changed the subject. "So, are you gonna tell me what happened back at the castle? And maybe you could squeeze in the part where you can make things out of ice?"

"Alright, but this could take a while." She waved her hand and crafted two chairs out of ice. "Let's sit." Elsa couldn't believe it. She was about to open up to a complete stranger! She hadn't even told Anna about her powers and her fears, and now she was about to tell everything to Jackson. Strangely enough, she found herself wanting to tell him. There was something about his eyes, those two crystalline orbs of icy blue, that made her trust him completely.

Jack stared at the chairs and then back at her in amazement. This was gonna be good.

* * *

The two of them sat there for what seemed like hours; Elsa talking, Jack listening intently. She told him everything, from when she hurt Anna, to her parents' death, up to the incident at the coronation.

"...And so I'm going to live here for the rest of my life, alone, where I can't hurt anybody. It's better this way." She took a deep breath. "Well, you wanted an explanation, and you got it."

"Your Highness-" started Jack.

"Please, call me Elsa. You know more about me than anyone else in the world. I believe we are on a first name basis now," she said with a timid smile.

Jack returned her smile. "In that case, you can call me Jack. And if you ask me, it's not better this way. Believe me." He suddenly had a sad, far away look in his eyes. "Being alone isn't all it's cracked up to be. I...there's something you should know about me. I have a story of my own to tell you."

Elsa could not resist, for this boy sparked her curiosity unlike anyone else. "Please. I have the rest of my life here; I think we have some time."

Jack chuckled. "Did you notice anything strange about me at your coronation ball?"

Elsa smiled. "Well, it's not too often that I meet young men with white hair."

"Anything else?"

She thought for a moment, then spoke. "This might sound silly but, it was as if I was the only one who could see you. As if you were some sort of phantom, like in old stories I used to read about."

Jack sighed. "It's not silly. It's true." Elsa cocked an eyebrow. "You are the only one who can see me. To everyone else, I simply don't exist."

"What on earth are you talking about, Jack?"

Jack smiled to himself at the sound of his name coming from her lips. "I think to get you to understand, I need to start from the beginning."

Jack then proceeded to tell her all about his death centuries ago, the Man in the Moon, and about becoming a Guardian. All the while, Elsa listened, her eyes wide. Finally, Jack finished.

"Oh yeah, and you might be interested to know that I also have powers. Watch." He took his staff and flew around the room, eliciting a shriek from Elsa. He then made a swirling motion with his staff, and snow fell from the ceiling. Elsa's mouth was agape in shock, and she quickly closed it.

"You...you can fly...and...you have ice powers. I don't believe it."

Jack flew over to her. "That's just it, Elsa. You can see me because you believe." He saw the look of shock still on her face, and landed on his feet in front of her. "I, uh, hope this isn't too overwhelming for you." Elsa didn't say anything. Jack sighed. "Look, I know this is a lot to take in, but I just want you to know that being by yourself for the rest of your life isn't what you want. I've been alone for over three hundred years, and only people can fill that loneliness. Do you understand-"

The next thing Jack knew, Elsa had thrown her arms around him and was hugging him tightly. He could only stand there in shock, but after a few seconds he slowly wrapped his arms around her and hugged her back. Unbeknownst to each other, they were both thinking the same thought.

_So this is what it feels like to hug someone._


	4. Chapter 4

_Three months later_

 

Anna walked slowly through the castle halls, eyes glued to the book in her hands. She looked up to greet two maids with a smile and a friendly "Good morning!" before returning to her reading. She stopped at the end of the hallway and entered a quiet, empty room filled with books, documents, and the smell of ink: Her father's study. After setting the book down on a small table, she went to the large window and drew back the curtains, allowing warm, radiant sunlight to fill the room. She dared not open the window, however, for autumn was fast-approaching and Arendelle was known for its chilly fall weather. She then picked up her book and sat down on the fainting couch, propped her legs up, and continued to read.

Not five minutes later, Anna heard a gentle tapping, and realized it was coming from the window. She glanced in that direction and after she saw what was there, a huge grin broke across her face. On the other side of the window, a white-haired boy carrying a crooked staff floated in midair, grinning right back at her.

"Jack!" shouted Anna as she ran to open the window. The moment he flew in, she embraced him in a welcoming hug. After parting, she wrapped her arms around herself and shivered.

Jack's face grew concerned. "I'm so sorry! I should have warned you that my hugs aren't very warm."

Anna giggled. "Don't worry about that. Elsa's hugs can be cold sometimes too. It's the wind that's making me shiver." She closed the window and readjusted the latch. She turned back around to face Jack, the smile still on her face. "Elsa will be thrilled to see you. But aren't you busy? You know, with, well, whatever it is you do?"

Jack chuckled. "Nah. I finished my rounds a little early so I could come see both of you." He threw his staff behind his shoulder and walked to the velvet-cushioned couch, picking up her book. "Whatcha reading?"

Anna walked over to stand by the young winter spirit. "It's actually a play. _Macbeth_ by William Shakespeare."

"I think you mean _Sir_ William Shakespeare," Jack corrected her.

"You know of him?"

"Of course I do. It's been a few decades since I read _Macbeth_ , but I remember it being pretty good. I mean, who doesn't love a good tragedy?" he said with a smirk.

Anna looked surprised. "I didn't know you liked to read!"

"Of course I do. Had to pass the time some way. I've read more books than you can count."

Anna laughed softly. "You are just filled with surprises, Jack Frost." She grabbed his ice-cold hand. "Come on, let's go see Elsa. I'll bet _you_ can get her to finally come out of her office!"

...

Elsa didn't look up when she heard footsteps approaching her office. She was far too invested in the current document she was studying. It was on foreign trade regulations, and had been collecting dust in the royal archives.

"Elsa..." she heard her sister's voice speaking her name, with the last syllable drawn out. "Elsa, I have a surprise for you." The queen looked up to see Anna bouncing on her toes, beaming.

"Good morning, Anna." she greeted with a gentle smile. "What is it?" she asked, looking to see if her sister was holding anything.

Anna's smile grew wider. " _I_ don't have it. You'll have to come out into the hallway and see," she said, walking backwards towards the door.

Elsa exhaled through her nose. "Is this some sort of prank?"

"Nope! Now come into the hallway before I drag you there myself!"

Elsa couldn't help but giggle. "Fine." She then stood up from her desk and walked out the door into the hallway with Anna. She looked around, saw nothing, and looked back at her sister, a skeptical look on her face. "I don't see anythi-"

"Boo!"

Elsa gasped aloud and quickly turned around, only to find herself face-to-face with Jack Frost. She blushed and backed up a few steps, then pursed her lips. "That wasn't funny. I could have hurt you."

Jack rolled his eyes. "You know as well as I do that you would never do that." He looked at her and sighed. "C'mon, Elsa, relax. Look, I'm sorry I scared you."

Elsa crossed her arms. "You didn't scare me."

Anna raised a finger. "Um, I was standing right here. He totally scared you."

Jack covered his mouth to suppress a snort.

Elsa began to retort, but one look at Jack's face and her anger dissipated. She gave a soft smile. "Well, maybe a little bit. It's good to see you, Jack."

Jack smiled and looked down at the floor. "You have no idea how weird it feels to hear someone say that." He quickly looked back up at the two sisters. "So! Anna tells me you could use a bit of fun." He smirked mischievously.

"I think I can help with that."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, obviously, I'm kind of messing with the timeline. Jack is a Guardian, but this story takes place during the time Frozen takes place, around the 17-1800's.


	5. Chapter 5

Elsa gave Jack a sympathetic look. "Sorry, Jack, but I'm afraid I'll have to pass this time." Judging by the look on the Guardian's face, she could tell she had greatly disappointed him. Elsa looked at the floor and began to explain herself. "I- it's just... I have to look over these documents before I meet with my advisors in two hours." She saw Jack nod solemnly. "But- Anna isn't busy, are you?"

Anna looked at Elsa, then at Jack, then back at Elsa. "Uh...no. No, I'm not busy. I'd love to spend some time with you, Jack. We can go see Kristoff and Sven; they should be finishing up with their deliveries about now."

Jack smiled politely at Anna and gave a quick nod. "Sure. Sounds like fun."

"Great! Why don't you head downstairs and I'll meet you in a couple minutes. I just need to talk to Elsa about something. You know, 'sister stuff.' I promise I'll be right down," replied Anna as she began to push Elsa back into her office.

"Um, okay. It was good to see you, Elsa..." The door closed. "...for two minutes." Jack started to walk down the hallway, staff slung on his shoulder, when he heard Anna say his name behind the closed door. Although his conscience was screaming at him to just keep walking, Jack found himself tiptoeing back to the door and listening in.

"I just don't get it, Elsa. When you first told me about him, you had this sparkle in your eyes that I had never seen before. You wanted nothing more than to see him again."

"That's not true. I wanted nothing more than to make up for all the lost time between _us_. Jack is a friend, you are my _sister_ , who I hadn't had a casual conversation with in fifteen years."

"Fine. But you have to admit, when he came back, the smile didn't leave your face until he left."

Jack couldn't help but smile. He remembered trying to hide it, but he had been elated to see her again, too.

"That being said," continued Anna. "What is going on with you? Now you're making excuses not to spend time with him? C'mon, Elsa, we both know he didn't come all the way from the North Pole to see _me_."

"And just _what_ is that supposed to mean?"

"You're really gonna make me spell it out for you? Fine. He _likes_ you."

"Oh Anna, please-"

"Why else would he look at you like that, and only you?"

Jack felt heat rising to his cheeks and knew he should not be listening, but his feet felt glued to the floor.

"Didn't you tell Jack you would meet him downstairs?"

"Not until you tell me why you won't even give him a chance."

There was a brief moment of silence, and Jack thought they might have heard him outside the door, but then Elsa replied.

"A chance to do what?"

"To be _more_. C'mon, you two are perfect for each other! Why can't you just-"

" _Because it could never work, Anna!_ "

Jack nearly jumped at Elsa's outburst, but managed to stay silent.

"So you _do_ feel the same way!"

"I never said that. It's simple logic."

" _Logic_?"

Jack heard Elsa sigh, then he heard footsteps growing fainter as she walked toward her desk.

"Did you ever think to consider why Jack and I...'being more'...could never be a possibility?"

"I-"

"No. Now it's your turn to listen. Jack is a Guardian; I am Queen of Arendelle. He is an immortal being tasked with protecting the children of the world; my job is to rule this kingdom and secure our family's place on the throne. Do you know what that means? It means that someday I must get married and provide an heir."

"I...didn't think about that."

Jack turned his head away from the door in sadness and frustration. He hadn't thought about that either. In fact, Jack didn't know what to think. He just wanted to go back to the North Pole now and pretend he hadn't heard any of this.

He quietly walked away from the door then flew downstairs to wait for Anna. Not ten seconds after he got there, a small, happy snowman ran up to him and hugged him.

"Jack Frost is here! This is the best day ever!"

Jack gave the snowman a soft smile. "Hey, Olaf. I'm glad to see you too. But uh, I...I was just leaving."

"Leaving?! But you just got here! I'll go tell Anna and Elsa you're here," said Olaf as he began to walk toward the staircase.

"No, no, wait. It's okay, they already know. Could you just tell them I had to leave to go back to the North Pole? Please?"

"Absolutely! But I really wish you had stayed longer. I only got one hug in."

Jack chuckled and lifted up off the ground. "Maybe next time, buddy. See ya." And then, in a rush of cold wind, he was gone.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thank you for reading and please comment!


	6. Chapter 6

Anna walked slowly down the stairs, thinking about what Elsa had said. She hadn't really considered the reasons why Jack and her sister _couldn't_ be together; she just felt that they would be perfect for each other. Anna shook her head and sighed; they _would have been perfect_ together, if not for small technicalities like immortality and monarchical duty.

When she reached the bottom of the stairs, she saw only Olaf, who had fallen asleep in the middle of the main hall. Anna giggled and walked over to him. "Olaf," she whispered, gently patting him. The little snowman startled awake and took in his surroundings. When he saw Anna, his whole face lit up and he greeted her with a big hug.

"Anna! I have to tell you something." He paused. "I think I fell asleep."

Anna smiled and dropped to her knees beside him. "Yes, I can see that. Olaf, have you seen Jack? Jack Frost? He was supposed to meet me down here."

Olaf looked around the room then back at Anna. "I don't see him."

Anna laughed. "Is there any chance you saw him before you fell asleep?"

Olaf furrowed his brow as if in deep thought. Then, as if something just clicked in his mind, he looked up. "I did see him! He said to tell you that he had to leave."

Anna frowned and leaned back on her heels. "Are you sure?" she asked, looking the snowman in his still-groggy eyes.

"Yep!"

"He just said he had to leave and then left?"

"Yep!"

"I wonder what could've happened for him to leave without saying goodbye..."

"Yep!"

Anna raised an eyebrow and turned to look at Olaf. "I'm gonna go find Kristoff and Sven," she said getting to her feet. She offered Olaf her hand. "Wanna come?"

"Okay!" he squealed, taking her hand and leading her out the door.

Toothiana flew into North's workshop, her excitement evident on her face and in the quick, agitated movements of her wings. Autumn was approaching, and with it the sense of urgency and anticipation that always filled the North Pole as Christmas drew nearer. Both the yetis and the elves were hard at work in order to remain on schedule. As many times as she had been here, the workshop never failed to fill her with a sense of child-like wonder. As she approached North's office, she was enveloped by the sweet aroma of freshly-baked cookies. The door was open, but she knocked anyway.

"North?"

The Guardian of Wonder sat hunched over a long and all-too-familiar list of names. When he heard his own name, he looked up in surprise.

"Tooth!" he exclaimed, moving to stand.

"Don't get up," said Tooth holding out her hands. The large man sat back down with a loud _thud_ and she smiled. "I know you're busy."

North returned the smile. "What can I do for you?" he asked in his thick Russian accent.

"I was hoping you could tell me where to find Jack. Sophie Bennett lost her first baby tooth and I wanted to tell him. Can you believe it? It's so exciting, but at the same time, it's sad. It means that she's growing up."

"Not to worry, Tooth. Her whole childhood is still in front of her. You're in luck. Jack is down in the workshop."

Tooth gave him a puzzled look. "Why is he down there?"

North shrugged. "He came in here asking for something to do, so I put him to work. To be completely honest, I doubt he's doing anything really productive down there." He chuckled. "The yetis may think I am punishing them."

Tooth nodded. "I see. I'm gonna go down there and...tell him the news."

North was already back to looking at the list. With his head down, he waved. "Alright, good luck."

Tooth went straight down to where North told her Jack was. She warmly greeted the yetis she passed as she floated through the vast layout of the workshop. She found him sitting alone with a paintbrush and a doll in his hands. She watched as he painted delicate features on the doll's face: big blue eyes, thin lips, and rosy cheeks. She even caught a faint dusting of freckles on the doll's cheeks.

"I had forgotten you were an artist."

Jack started at the sound of her voice; he had obviously been very engrossed in his work. "Tooth? What are you doing here?"

"I came to tell you that Sophie Bennett lost her first baby tooth-"

Jack smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes.

"-but I can see that there is something else we need to talk about." She sat down next to him as he continued to paint. "I know something's bothering you. You like to keep busy when you're upset."

Jack paused his work, then continued painting.

Tooth sighed. She didn't say anything for a while, choosing instead to watch Jack's gentle brush strokes create a beautiful work of art. After he finished, she touched his arm, causing him to look at her, and spoke again.

"Jack, we are Guardians. You know as well as I do that we have to trust one another. If there isn't trust, then there's- there isn't anything. I know there's something wrong. In fact, you've been acting strangely for the past few months. I can't really tell you _how_ , I just know you've been different." She sighed once again. "Jack?"

He smirked. "You really don't know how to let something go, do you?"

Tooth gently shoved him. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Jack gave a quiet laugh. "Fine. But only because it's you. If you tell Bunny about this-"

"I see you're really getting on board with the 'trust' thing."

"Do you want me to tell you or not?"

Tooth rolled her eyes but couldn't hide her smile. "Yes, I want you to tell me."

"Okay." Jack looked back down at the doll, seemingly fixated on its face. "Remember a few months back, when I told all of you about Elsa?

"Arendelle, queen, power to create ice and snow?"

"That's the one."

"What about her?" It had amazed the Guardians to hear about this girl, supposedly having possessed these powers since birth, but Tooth wasn't sure what the mysterious Queen of Arendelle had to do with Jack's recent behavior.

Jack continued to look down. "Well, there was a little detail I left out when I told you what happened in Arendelle."

If Tooth's interest wasn't already peaked, it certainly was now. "What was it?"

Jack took a deep breath. "I guess you could say that she saw me-"

"What?"

"-and we talked for a while-"

"Wait-"

"-and I've been going to visit her and her sister a lot ever since."

Tooth took a second to process this. "Why didn't you tell us?"

Jack shrugged. "I don't know. I guess I just liked keeping it a secret."

Tooth cast a worried glance at Jack. "I can understand why -with your similar powers, and 'mortal' age- you formed a connection. But Jack-"

"It's not just our powers, Tooth. We- we _understand_ each other. She knows what it's like to be alone because of who you are. Whenever she let go of her fears and embraced her powers, she had this- this breathtaking confidence. But she also has this shyness and vulnerability that are just as much a part of her. I've never met anyone like her before."

"Jack, you can't get so attached like this."

Jack finally looked up at her. "Attached? Tooth, I think I'm falling for her."

**Author's Note:**

> Please comment and tell me what you think!


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